letters-第52章

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　particular　Bulls　of　various　Bishops　of　Rome；　which　Bulls　though　　respected　by　many　of　the　Spaniards　form　no　part　of　the　law　of　　Spain。　　Provided　resistance　be　offered　to　the　undertaking　either　by　　the　Government　or　any　portion　of　the　ecclesiastics；　it　has　been　　determined　to　bring　the　matter　before　the　Cortes；　from　whom　a　　favourable　decision　may　be　expected　with　certainty。　　An　individual　　has　been　selected　as　the　ostensible　manager　of　this　great　and　　glorious　undertaking；　this　individual　is　Mr。　C。　Wood；　whom　I　have　　already　had　occasion　to　mention；　though　it　is　in　my　power　to　state　　that　but　for　the　manner　in　which　the　name　of　the　Bible　Society　has　　on　various　occasions　been　brought　before　the　public；　and　almost　　invariably　to　its　disadvantage；　myself　its　well…known　Agent；　would　　have　been　the　person　selected。　　If　it　be　here　asked　who　are　the　　respectable　and　influential　persons　who　are　at　the　head　of　this　　undertaking　and　who　patronise　it；　I　reply　the　Archbishop　of　Toledo；　　the　Primate　of　Spain；　and　the　Bishops　of　Vich　and　Jaen。

Now　merely　one　word　in　conclusion。　　I　have　related　facts；　and　to　　attempt　to　contravene　them　would　be　as　futile　as　to　endeavour　to　　breast　the　billows　of　the　Atlantic。　　For　the　fact　that　I　have　　throughout　my　residence　in　Spain　conducted　myself　as　becomes　a　　gentleman；　a　Christian　and　an　Agent　of　a　Christian　Society；　I　can　　at　all　times　command　the　evidence　of　Sir　George　Villiers。　　For　the　　fact　that　no　act　of　mine　has　given　offence　to　the　Spanish　　Government；　or　was　calculated　to　do　so；　I　can；　if　required；　produce　　a　communication　from　Count　Ofalia；　who　has　in　writing　expressed　to　　Sir　George　Villiers　his　full　reliance　in　my　prudence　and　good　　faith。　　For　the　fact　that　the　establishment　at　Madrid　was　closed；　　not　in　consequence　of　my　own　imprudence；　but　on　account　of　certain　　proceedings　at　Valencia；　I　can　receive；　if　I　need　it；　a　testimonial　　from　Count　Ofalia。　　For　the　fact　that　proceedings　of　a　highly　　objectionable　nature　were　transacted　in　the　south　of　Spain；　I　have　　the　affidavit　of　the　unhappy　ex…priest　Pascual　Marin；　who　can　　likewise　afford；　when　called　upon；　information　on　various　points。　　　For　the　fact　that　my　depots　in　various　provinces　of　Spain　were　　seized　in　consequence　of　doings　with　which　I　had　no　connexion；　I　　can　cite　official　correspondence。　　For　the　fact　that　my　　advertisement；　in　which　I　disowned　in　the　name　of　the　Society　and　　in　my　own　any　sympathy　with　the　scenes　alluded　to；　was　productive　　of　infinite　benefit　to　the　Cause；　I　can　at　any　time　produce　　incontestable　evidence。　　And　lastly；　for　my　zeal　in　the　Bible　　Cause；　whilst　employed　in　the　Peninsula；　I　can　have　the　evidence　　not　only　of　some　of　the　most　illustrious　characters　resident　in　　Madrid；　but　likewise　that　of　the　greatest　part　of　Spain；　throughout　　which　I　believe　my　name　is　better　known　than　in　my　native　village　　in　East　Anglia。



Mr。　G。　Borrow's　Report　on　Past　and　Future　Operations　in　Spain　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Nov。　28；　1838）　LONDON；　NOVR。　1838。



HAVING　been　requested　to　commit　to　paper　my　opinion　respecting　the　　mode　most　advisable　to　be　adopted　for　the　propagation　of　the　Word　　of　God　in　Spain；　provided　the　Committee　of　the　Bible　Society　should　　consider　it　their　duty　to　resume　operations　in　that　country；　I　　shall　as　briefly　as　possible　communicate　the　results　of　an　　experience　which　three　years'　residence　has　enabled　me　to　acquire。　　　The　Committee　are　already　aware　that　I　have　traversed　the　greatest　　part　of　Spain　in　all　directions；　and　have　lived　for　a　considerable　　time　in　Madrid　and　other　large　towns。　　I　have　therefore　had　　opportunities　of　forming　a　tolerably　accurate　idea　as　to　the　mode　　of　thinking　upon　religious　subjects　of　the　Spaniards；　whether　of　　town　or　country；　and　of　their　character　in　general。　　I　need　not　　enter　into　a　repetition　of　my　labours　during　my　last　sojourn　in　　Spain。　　It　is　well　known　that；　after　printing　the　New　Testament　at　　Madrid；　I　endeavoured　to　distribute　it　in　the　principal　towns；　and　　also　in　the　rural　districts。　　Particular　circumstances　prevented　my　　experiencing　in　the　former　the　success　which　I　had　hoped　for；　and　　with　some　reason；　at　the　commencement　of　my　Biblical　labours；　and　　indeed　I　did　not　find　the　minds　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　great　　cities　which　I　visited　so　well　disposed　as　I　could　have　wished；　for　　receiving　and　relishing　the　important　but　simple　truths　of　the　　Bible。　　I　cannot　say　that　a　spirit　of　fanatic　bigotry　was　　observable　amongst　them；　except　in　a　very　few　instances；　but　rather　　of　lamentable　indifference；　their　minds　being　either　too　much　　engrossed　by　the　politics　of　the　period　to　receive　the　doctrine　of　　the　Bible；　or　averse　to　it　owing　to　the　poison　of　infidelity　　imbibed　from　the　deistical　writings　of　the　French。　　My　success　　among　the　peasants　was　however　very　different；　nearly　two　thousand　　copies　having　been　disposed　of　in　an　extraordinarily　short　space　of　　time；　and　under　much　disadvantage　owing　to　the　peculiarly　unhappy　　situation　of　those　parts　which　it　was　my　fortune　to　visit。　　I　will　　now；　without　further　preamble；　state　the　line　of　conduct　which　I　　should　wish　to　see　pursued　in　Spain　under　existing　circumstances。

As　the　minds　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　cities；　from　the　causes　　above　stated；　do　not　appear　to　be　exactly　prepared　for　the　　reception　of　the　Scripture；　it　seems　most　expedient　for　some　time　　to　come　to　offer　it　principally　to　the　peasantry；　by　the　greater　　part　of　whom　there　is　so　much　ground　for　believing　that　it　will　be　　received　with　gratitude　and　joy。　　True　it　is　that　the　Spanish　　peasantry　are　in　general　not　so　well　educated　as　their　brethren　of　　the　cities；　their　opportunities　of　acquiring　a　knowledge　of　letters　　having　always　been　inferior；　nevertheless　it　would　be　difficult　to　　enter　a　cottage　of　which　at　least　one　of　the　inmates　could　not　　read；　more　or　less。　　They　are　moreover　a　serious　people；　and　any　　book　upon　religious　subjects　is　far　more　certain　of　captivating　　their　attention　than　one　of　a　lighter　character；　and；　above　all；　　their　minds　have　hitherto　never　been　tainted　by　those　unhappy　　notions　of　infidelity　too　prevalent　amongst　the　other　class。　　There　　is　one　feature　which　I　wish　to　mention　here；　which　is　indeed　common　　to　the　Spanish　people　in　general　but　more　particularly　to　the　　peasantry；　namely；　that　whenever　a　book　is　purchased；　whether　good　　or　bad；　the　purchaser　entertains　a　firm　intention　of　reading　it；　　which　he　almost　invariably　puts　into　execution。　　I　do　not　make　this　　observation　merely　upon　hearsay　…　though　I　have　frequently　heard　it　　from　quarters　which　I　am　bound　to　respect　…　many　examples　tending　　to　substantiate　the　fact　having　come　under　my　own　knowledge。　　It　is　　at　least　a　great　consolation　to　the　distributor　of　the　Word　of　God　　in　Spain；　that　the　seed　which　he　casts　around　him　is　in　general　　received　by　the　earth　beneath　the　surface；　from　which　he　is　induced　　to　trust　that　it　will　some　day　spring　up　and　produce　good　fruit。

I　now　beg　leave　to　repeat　from　a　previous　communication　the　manner　　in　which　I　made　my　first　attempt　to　distribute　the　Scriptures　　amongst　the　peasantry。　　I　must　here　remind　the　Committee　that　until　　＇I＇　myself　solved　the　problem　of　the　possibility；　no　idea　had　been　　entertained　of　introducing　the　Bible　in　the　rural　districts　of　　countries　exclusively　Papist。　　This　remark；　which　I　make　with　the　　utmost　humility；　merely　springs　from　an　idea　that　a　similar　　attempt；　if　made　with　boldness　and　decision；　might　prove　equally　　successful　in　Italy；　Mexico；　and　many　other　countries；　even　pagan；　　which　have　not　yet　been　penetrated；　particularly　China　and　Grand　　Tartary；　on　the　shores　of　which　the　Bible　labours　under　great　　disadvantage　and　odium　from　being　put　into　the　hands　of　the　natives　　by　people　seemingly　in　connection　with　those　for　whom　it　is　　impossible　they　can　entertain　much　respect；　as　they　are　well　known　　to　contribute　largely　towards　the　corruption　of　the　public　morals。　　　But　I　now　return　to　my　subject；　and　proceed　at　once　to　the　　experiment　which　I　made　at　different　periods　and　in　different　　provinces。

I　twice　sallied　forth　alone　and　on　horseback；　and　bent　my　course　to　　a　distant　village。　　On　my　arrival；　which　took　place　just　after　the　　SIESTA　or　afternoon's　nap　had　concluded；　I　proceeded　in　both　　instances　to　the　market…place；　where　I　spread　a　horse…cloth　on　the　　ground；　upon　which　I　deposited　my　books。　　I　then　commenced　crying　　with　a　loud　voice：　　'Peasants；　peasants；　I　bring　you　the　Word　of　　God　at　a　cheap　price。　　I　know　you　have　but　little　money；　but　I　　bring　it　you　at　whatever　you　can　command；　at　four　or　three　REALS；　　according　to　your　means。'　　I　thus　went　on　till　a　crowd　gathered　　round　me；　who　examined　the　books　with　attention；　many　of　them　　reading　aloud；　but　I　had　not　long　to　wait。　　In　both　instances　my　　cargo　was　disposed　of　almost　instantaneously；　and　I　mounted　my　　horse　without　a　question　being　asked　me；　and　returned　to　my　　temporary　abode　lighter　than　I　came。　　These　instances　occurred　in　　Castile　and　Galicia；　near　the　towns　of　Santiago　and　Valladolid。

It　is　the　firm　conviction　of　the　writer　from　subsequent　experience　　that　every　village　in　Spain　will　purchase　Testaments；　from　twenty　　to　sixty；　according　to　its　circumstances。　　During　the　last　two　　months　of　his　sojourn　in　Spain　he　visited　about　forty　villages；　and　　in　only　two　instances　was　his　sale　less　than　thirty　copies　in　each。　　　The　two　villages　which　he　alludes　to　were　Mocejon　in　the　Sagra　of　　Toledo；　and　Torre　Lodones　about　four　leagues　from　Madrid　in　the　　road　which　leads　to　the　Guadarama　hills。　　The　last　village　is　　indeed　a　mere　wretched　assemblage　of　huts；　the　inhabitants　of　which　　labour　under　the　most　squalid　poverty；　owing　to　the　extreme　　niggardness　of　the　neighbouring　soil；　which　consists　almost　　entirely　of　rock　from　which　scarcely　anything　can　be　gathered；　so　　that　the　people　are　proverbially　thieves。　　Only　three　copies　of　the　　sacred　volume　were　purchased　in　this　unhappy　place；　and　only　nine　　in　the　comparatively　rich　village　of　Mocejon　…　which；　it　is　true；　　was　visited　on　the　day　of　a　festival；　when　the　inhabitants　were　too　　much　occupied　with　dancing　and　other　amusements　to　entertain　any　　serious　thoughts。

There　are　at　the　present　moment　about　two　thousand　copies　of　the　　New　Testament　in　Madrid。　　It　appears　to　the　writer　that　it　would　be　　most　expedient　to　distribute　one…half　of　these　books　in　La　Mancha；　　commencing　from　the　town　of　Ocana；　and　concluding　with　Argamasilla　　at　the　other　end　of　the　province；　the　remaining　thousand　might　be　　devoted　to　the　many　villages　on　the　road　towards　Arragon；　　especially　to　those　of　Alcarria　where　the　people　are　honest；　mild　　and　serious。　　The　writer　would　by　no　means　advise　for　the　present　　an　attempt　to　distribute　the　entire　Bible　amongst　the　peasantry；　as　　he　is　of　opinion　that　the　New　Testament　is　much　better　adapted　to　　their　understandings　and　circumstances。　　If　it　be　objected　to　the　　plan　which　he　has　presumed　to　suggest　that　it　is　impossible　to　　convey　to　the　rural　districts　of　Spain　the　book　of　life　without　　much　difficulty　and　danger；　he　begs　leave　to　observe　that　it　does　　not　become　a　real　Christian　to　be　daunted　by　either　when　it　pleases　　his　Maker　to　select　him　as　an　instrument；　and　that　moreover　if　it　　be　not　written　that　a　man　is